System of water distribution.



Patented Aug. 25, 1914;.

. W. GHUBB.

SYSTEM OF WATER DISTRIBUTION.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.15,1913.

INVENTOR y/ ATTORN EY w; entities, or nnsnwoon, rnnns rnvnnra ii ;citizenofthe UnitedStates, and a resident "of' Edgewoomiin thecounty ofAllegheny "andlState of Pen11sylvania,-have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Systems of: YWVater- Distribution, ofwhich the following"is a specification.

My.- invention relates to systems of water distrijbution such areemployed in dwell- .in s'and otherbuildings, and it has specialvreterencejto iii-dependent hot-water and cold water "distributionsystems and to means for preventing the water in the systerms fromfreezing in cold weather.

One of the objects of my invention is to improvejand simplify systems ofthe above indicated character and to provide'means for interconnectingthe h ot-waterand cold- 20 I Water systems, which shall be simpleinarrangement and inexpensive "to install, and

' water systems at substantially their upper ends-or at the ends ofanybranch pipes,

whereby a gradual circulation of water may be effected throughout theentire system when desired, thereby preventing the freez .ing of thewater in parts of the which may be exposed to severe weather conditions.

Another object of my invention is to pro 'vide simple,"compact andadequate means coldwvater systems, whereby both hot and 'cdld' water maybeobtamed' from suitable faucets associated with various pieces ofapparatus located in diilerentparts or the building, such assinks,"wash-bowls and bath tubs. Frequently the water pipes are locatedalong the exterior. euthe structure and are, therefore eXposed "tosevere cold in winter weather, which often resultsm freezing the waterin the pipes and causing them to burst; Heretofore, numerous devices andarrangements of. pipes have been employed to overcome this di'ilicultyand to prevent "freezing but such means as have been cm- 'ployed in thepast, have either been expeni Specification of Letters Patent.

systems SYSTEM or warns nrs'rninua'ron.

rat tednu 2a, 1914.

Application filed January 15, 1913. Serial No. 742,281.

sive and complicated to install, or have been inefficient and costly inoperation. Furthermore, such devices have been inconvenient toi'nanipulate and could not be relied upon tor-accomplishing theirintended purpose. I

I propose to overcome the dli'ficulties heretofore encountered, and toprovide means which'may'be cheaply and readily installed and operated,and which shall accomplish the des red results effectively and withreliability.

My invention may be best understood by reference to the accompanylngdrawings, in

Which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of por tions of a dwellingprovided with a system of Water distribution embodying my invention,Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged views respectively in plan and in sideelevation, of a portion of the system. shown in- Fig. 1, and

Figs. 4L and 5 are views of portions of systems embodying modificationsof my invention.

Referring to the drawing, a dwelling or similar structure having acellar or base ment 1 and a plurality of floors 2 and 3 is providedwitl'i'a hot-water system 4. and a cold-water system 5, which receivetheir suppl'yof water in common through a water 'meter 6, and a feedpipe 7 from a water main or supply pipe 8. A hot-water heater 9comprisin a Water tank 10 and a heating device 11 is associated with thehot-Water system 4, being connected at, or near, its upper end 12thereto and receiving its water through a branch pipe 13 that isconnected to the feed pipe '7.

I have illustrated the water heater 9 as embodying a heating device 11that is adapted for the use of gas as a heating medium,- but it shouldhe understood that my invention is not restricted to any par ticulartype of heating device and that the heater shown is only illustrative ofany suitable apparatus, 'which may be operated either continuously orintermittently, for raising the temperature of the water in thehot-water system.

' A sink 1% is located on the floor land, in

accordance with the usual custom, is pro vided with a liotwater valveorfaucet 15, a separate cold-water valve or faucet l6,

yand a drain. pipe 17. The liot-water system i and cold-water." system 5are respectively connected to the hot-water faucet 15 and cold-waterfaucet l6 by means' of branch pipes 18 and 19, and immediately beneaththe sink 14, the branch pipes 18 and 19 are interconnected by means ofapipe 20 and a valve '21 which is independent of said valves or faucets15 and 16.

The upper ends of the hot-water system 4- and cold-water system 5terminate in faucets 22 and 23 which constitute partsof a wash bowl 24,or similar device, which is also provided Wltll'it drain pipe 25 havinga trap 26 of the usual S type. A pipe 27 is connected between thehot-water system 4 and the cold-water system 5 substantially at theirupper ends and'said pipe 27 contains a valve 28 by means of which thetwo systems may be interconnected. For reasons to be hereinafter pointedout, I prefer that the interconnecting pipe 27 shall either besubstantially U shaped and shall be located as shown in Figs. 2 and 3,in proximity to a portion of the trap 26 in which water (:01-

lects and is retained, or shall be actually mechanically associatedtherewith. The interconnecting pipe 27 may, however, be of any formdesired or may be entirely independent of the trap 26.

or may not, be interconnected in Branch pipes 32 and 33 are respectivelyconnected to the hot-water system .4 and cold-water system 5 and areadapted to deliver water in the usual manner to a bath tub 34. Thebranch pipes-32 and 33 may,

hereinbefore set forth.

Assuming the arrangement and location i ofv apparatus and'pipes to be asshown, in the normal operation of; the system, the valves 21 and 28 areclosed and cold-water is supplied to the cold-water system 5- and may bedrawn from the faucets 1'6 and 23 and at one of the bath tub faucets(not shown), as is the usual practice. Furthermore, the water heater 9supplies hot water to the hot-Water system 4 and to'the faucets 15 and22and one of the bath tub faucets (not shown).

In case of cold weather, and particularly at night, when no water isdrawn through the systems, the several ,valves'2l and 28 are opened,whereupon the hot-water system 4 and cold-water system 5areinterconnected, after which the faucets 15, 16, 22, and 23 are openedtemporarily to relieve any air. Thus, the hot water in the upper portionof the system 4'-and in the branch pipe 18is permitted to pass throughthe respective interconnecting pipes 27 and 20 into thecold-water system5. As the water is gradually cooled, it settles, giving place to hotwater from the heater 9. In this Way a circulation of relatively warmwater i effected throughout the entire system in accordance withwell-known principles and as indicated by' the arrows, therebypreventing the possibility of freezing the water in any of'the pipes. Itshould be noted that the manner the interconnectin *pipe are associatedwith the adjacent Iiot and cold water distributing pipes at pointssomewhat below or on the supply side of the outletvalves or faucetswhereby the extreme portions of theinterconnecting pipes. Furthermore,inas- Emuch as the interconnecting pipe 27 is lo- :cated in roxi'mi tyto the drain, pipe trap .226, there is suflicient radiation of heat fromgthe warm circulating water to prevent the water in the trap fromfreezing. Moreover, by reason of the fact that the interconnectlingpipes 27 and 20 are located substantially Eat the ends of the systems 4and 53nd the jbranch pipes- 18 and 19, there is suflicient jheatimparted tothe water which may be icontained in the adjacent faucets1'5, 16, 22

Eand23 and extreme portions b convection.

and conduction to prevent its reezing. In iorder to resume normaloperation of the systems, it is only necessary to close the in-'Iterconnecting valves 28 and 21. and to draw ofi" the warm water;remaining in the coldiwater system 5 through one of the coldtwaterfaucets 23 or 16. a

I In some cases the common feed pipe 7 may be located in an exposedplace and must', therefore, be protected to 'insure jIagainst freezingand bursting-of the pipe. To effectively accomplish this purpose, it

is only necessary to connect the cold water system 5 to the feed pipe 7at a point 37, adjacent to and inside thewater meter 6,

fas shown in Fig. 4. If now the hot-water 'andcold-water systems 4 and 5are interconnected, as hereinbefore described, it is manifest that acirculation of warm water passes through both of said interconnectedsystems, including the feed pipe 7 in the direction of the arrows.Another means of preventing the freezing of water in the feed pipe 7 isto connect a pipe 40 between substantially the upper end 12 of the tank10 .and the feed pipe 7 at the point 37, as shown in Fig. 5. By thisarrangement, warm water is circulated through the pipes .40 and 7 in thedirection indicated by the arrows. These and other modifications arecontemplated, and it will be understood-by those skilled in the art thatother systems difierin'gwidely in .some respects from that 'hereinbeforeset forth, may embody the principles of my invention and may secure theadvantages and beneficial results thereof to ,a greater or less extent.I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the specific arrangement andlocation of parts hereinbei fore seti forth, as the particular systemdescribed is only a preferred embodiment,

' pended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a hot-water system and a cold water systemreceiving water :froma common supply, and independentvalves respectivelyassociated with the ends of saidsystems, of means independent of saidvalves for interconnectingthe upper portions of said systems wherebywarm water is circulated through substantially the a whole ofsaid-systems.

2. The combination with a hot-water system and a cold-water systemreceiving water from a common supply, and a plurality of independentvalves respectively associated with the end of said systems, of aninterconnecting means independent of said valves associated with theupper portions of said -systems for permitting hot-water to pass throughthe entire cold-water system. 3. The combination with a hot-water systemand a cold-water system receiving water from a common source, and aplurality of valve respectively associated with said sys tems, of meansindependent of said valves for interconnecting said systems for effect--ing a circulation of water through the entire systems.

, disposed between said systems at substantially the ends thereof and onthe supply side of said valves for causing water from th hot-watersystem to pass through substantially the whole of said coldqvatersystom.

5. The combination with a branched system of water distribution, awater-heating apparatus in one of said branches, and controlling valvesrespectively associated with the ends of said branches, of meansindependent of said. valves and disposed above said apparatus and on thesupply side of said valves for causing a circulation'of warm waterthrough the entire system and said heating apparatus for preventing thefreezing of water in any part of the system.

6. The combination with a hot-water and acold-water system, a pluralityof branches therefrom, and a plurality of outlets severally associatedwith said systems and said branches, of pipes independent of saidoutlets and disposed on the supply side thereof for interconnecting saidsystems and branches at substantially the ends thereof and valvesseverally disposed in said 1nterconnecting pipes.

indicated in the ap-'.

7. The combination with a plurality of normally independent systems ofwater distribution, separate outlet valves therefor, and a" water heaterassociated with one of said systems, of means disposed on the sup plyside of the valves for interconnecting the upper portions of saidsystems whereby warm water rises from the water heater through itsassociated. system and returns to the heater through the other system.

8. The combination with a plurality of water distributing systems, areceptacle provided with outlets for drawing otl said wa-' ter, and adrain pipe and trap for said receptacle, of a pipe interconnecting saidsystems adjacent to said outlets and disposed in proximity to said drainpipe and trap.

9. The combination with a hot-water and a cold-water system, areceptacle associated therewith, and a drain pipe and trap for saidreceptacle, of a pipe interconnecting said systems adjacent to saidreceptacle for permitting .a water circulation through the systems, saidinterconnecting pipe being disposed in close proximity to said trap toprevent the freezing of water therein.

10. The combination with a supply main, a hot-water and a cold-watersystem of water distribution, a common feed pipe therefor connected tothe supply main, and a water meter in said feed pipe, of a pipe andvalve connecting the upper portions of said systems, the lower portionof the cold water system being connected to the feed pipe adjacent tothe meter and on the side thereof removed from the supply main.

11. The combination with a supply main, a hot-water and a cold-watersystem of water distribution, a plurality of independent valvesrespectively associated with the upper ends of said systems, and acommon feed pipe therefor connected to the supply main, of'awater-heater in said hot-water system, a pipe and valve independent ofsaid first valves connecting the upper portions of said systems belowsaid valves, the cold-water system being connected to the feed pipe adjacent to said supply main.

12. The combination with a supply main, a feed pipe connected theretoand a water 'meter connected in said feed pipe, of a hot hot-Watersystem of. distr utio'n associated with said heating apparatus,ajcold-water system ofdistribu-tion connected to said. feed pipeadjacent'to the water meter" on the side" thereof rem'oved'from said-supplymain, and

vmeans associated with the-upper portions of said systems f orinterconnecting; the same and permittm'ga" localwater circulationthrough; said systemsa'ud exclusive of said 'lnost'portions of saidhotand cold Water pipes for completing a closed loop of the meter. 1 v vs14 Thecjombination with a waterheating apparatus, a supply pipeconnected thereto,

1 ahotwater distributing system connected 15.

to said'heating apparatusjand a c 0ld-waterdistributingsystemconneeted'to said supply pipe, of means forinterconnecting said-hot and cold water" systems at oints slightly belowthe endsvth'ereof for e ectin a. draw lationot warm Water through bot ofsaid systems and the. heating apparatus. 1

'15. In a wateg' di'stributlon system for a 7 building, the combinationwith a water suphot-Water and cold-Water distribution pipes receivingWater in .COIIlIIlOll from'said feed pipe and adapted to deliver Waterto the upper. portions of said buidi'n'g, and a plurality -'of valvesrespectivelyassociated with the upper ends of said distributingpipes, ofa pipe and valve located beneath said valves and interconnectingsubstantially the upperp'iping system and causing a local circulation ofWater throughout said loop to-prevent the freezing of Water in any partthereof. o

-v In testimony. whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 13thday of J anuary, 1913; 4

LEWIS W. CHUBB. Witnesses:

J. R. BAoKoFEN, B.- B. HINES.

